THE SENSATIONAL SEVENTIES

I'm in the sensational seventies,and life is a ball,

My energy,and enthusiasm,nothing can stall,
I have a lot of dreams,hopes,and aspirations,

Every moment for me now, is a constant celebration.

This is the best time of life for me,

Of compulsions,and demands,I'm completely free,

No deadlines to meet,my time is mine,

And the way I live is perfectly fine!

With a hot cup of tea,I watch the sun rise,

The master painter never ceases to surprise,
Lovely birds flit around,chirping away,

This is how I start each day.

If I feel like it,I just go for a walk,
Or call a friend over,and sit,and talk,

Movies,picnics,and many more,

My life's full of fun,thats for sure.

I can watch a new bud,bloom into a flower,

Or enjoy getting wet,in the season's first shower,

Talk to my grandchildren,the biggest stars in my world,

They add colours of joy,great love,they have stirred.

I can read,or write, or just sit around,
Peace,and pleasure I have found,

What is this life,if full of care

I have no time for enjoyment to spare?

BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME!

My dearest Rainbow,this is specially for you.I love talking to you,because I feel really happy,and that is the test of a good relationship.You don't say things just for saying,but because you care,and that makes me feel very good.It is very comforting to know, that there is someone, who thinks about me,cares about what I do,and is in contact all the time.I'm sure you must be wondering what I'm talking about?Yes,UR2 small to understand,but when you asked me, why I don't write in my blog,I realised, that someone is interested in me,in what I do,and wants me to keep doing it.And that was the push I needed.So,here I am, doing what I enjoy most,writing my blog,and talking 2U.

As you know already, I love to write,and I'm always writing something,or the other,and winning awards for them too.But frankly, after my dearest friend,wonderful companion,and the nicest,kindest person in my life,my dearest Mashima, left me, I felt as if, half my body is gone with her,and the loss was too much to handle.You remember the wonderful granny who used to live in the apartment downstairs?Yes, we were best friends,and loving companions, for close to 15 yrs.and the sudden break was a huge shock.Although I wanted to go to my blog,and thought about it constantly,I just didn't have the will to continue.But you have done exactly what a good friend does ,given me the push I needed. So,here I am,doing what I enjoy most,letting my fingers fly,and get my thoughts across.

Thank you for the nudge,and I will be regular now. The New Year(2011) started off very well,but this incident proved 2B a setback,and it was very tough for me.But as you know from FB,I'm having fun, doing whatever I enjoy,and creating things that give me joy.Holi,the festival of colours is around the corner,and all of us RBZ with the preparations.The whole city is in a festive mood,and everyone is fully prepared to plunge into the excitement,and fun.I am making special sweets,because it is customary to serve sweets, after playing with colours.And Jonasjoys preparations are very hot right now.Specially after Loy endorsed it,my name is very high on the list of speciality food, here in Pune.Thats great,right?
Well my dear,bye for now.Leave UR comments,and I'm going 2B very regular now.Thanks for being a very loving,and true friend.God has given me a very special gift I'm always thankful for---YOU!Bhalobasha.

ON MY ANNIVERSARY,18th.NOV.2010

Today is our anniversary,and we would have completed 49 blissful,beautiful,warm,love-filled,charming years.Yes, that is what my life, with my extraordinary husband was like.He had a great sense of humour,and always said,with a big smile,"We are on a permanent honeymoon!"And indeed we were.We never stopped talking,laughing,sharing,enjoying,and our life was full of fun.He knew how to create smiles,and we enjoyed every moment of the beautiful togetherness,we shared.Friends very often asked us,"What do you constantly talk about?Whenever we see you driving past,you are so busy talking to each other,that you don't notice anything else!"Yes,our life was like an exciting adventure,full of happiness to the core,and never ever did we imagine that it would be so short lived.

On every a'versary,what is the first thought that comes to my mind?Why?Why? Why did this have to happen,and why did our beautiful,happy world, suddenly come crashing down,destroying everything into smithereens,and leaving me completely shattered,alone,helpless,and sunk in the depths pf despair?We shared many dreams,planned for many achievements,looked forward to so much.But suddenly I felt as if I was in a dark tunnel,with no chance of anything to look forward to.Even today,after almost 25 yrs. of steering the boat alone,I still haven't got over the shock of that devastating moment,that turned my life upside down,ripping it apart,and constant tears,and fears,my steady companions.

But, its the love we shared,our dreams together,the various plans we had,and the success of my children, that gave me the strength, to get started,and keep moving,inspite of the pain,and the urge to give up.We had never met each other before we got married,but in him,I found a wonderful human being,shared many similarities,and most of all,we loved each other,which was Gods gift to us.When something is built on love,it cannot be destroyed,and thats what kept me going.To make all his dreams come true,and not put obstacles in the path of our son's.Today,in 2010, I can say, that all this has been achieved,and I should be happy,and proud.But the pain inside, is as bad as ever.

Every a'sary,its the same feelings,the hurt,pain,loneliness,as bad as ever,and the injustice of it all,creating helplessness.But joy,and sorrow, are two sides of the same coin,and one has to face what comes in life.Today,I miss him terribly,think of the fun we would have had,his surprise gifts,and so much more,and the pain increases.But I have come so far,don't know how much time I have,and will continue to live in my own way,because love conquers all,and is a many splendoured thing,to be treasured,and enjoyed.So,while I do have a constant nagging pain,I also greatly savour the 25 beautiful,happy, fulfilling years, he gave me,as a fitting tribute to a great marriage,and a wonderful relationship.

MY 70th.YEAR. NOV 2010

When I stepped into my 70th.yr. in Nov.2009, I announced it to the world,that I would be celebrating every moment of this special year,and have a blast.Being a very happy,fun-loving person, I thought that would be the best way to celebrate the life I have lived,and the way I live it.To me,life is a very precious gift,and living it with joy,committment,energy,enthusiasm,and most of all love,is how I do it.So,I wanted to make every moment of each day in my 70th.yr.full of fun,and also my way of thanking God,for blessing me,with the capability to live my life,exactly as I want to,and make my dreams come true.And indeed, now that the year is over,I can say with justifiable pride,that I have done it!Dreams do come true.

I was in Buffalo when 2010 started,and was having a wonderful time with my darling little friends,my grandchildren,Ayon/Eric/and little Reedoo.And every day I thanked God for this pleasure,which is life's greatest gift to me.I love children,and my time with them is more precious, than anything else in this whole world.I returned to Pune in the last week of Jan. and, after a few days,left for Delhi, to celebrate this year,with very special people.

The whole trip was full of fun,and everyone plunged into the celebrations, with so much love,and care,that I was truly overwhelmed. I was born,brought up,educated,and married in Delhi, so it will always be a place full of very precious memories,of the most important persons in my life.But I also wanted to meet those, who have been with me,through the ups,and downs of my life,and readily put out the hand,that steadied me,whenever I needed it.That is why I went to Delhi.And what a fabulous trip it was.

I stayed with people I've known for more than 60 yrs. and the love they poured on me,was a very touching, yet fulfilling experience.Today,in 2010, relationships have no value,and are almost non-existent.But I am very proud to say,that all my relationships, are as fresh as a new flower,and their fragrance fills my life with beauty.I visited everyone,friends,relatives,and had a great time everywhere.We all got together to enjoy endless adda,went shopping,ate out,or just sat around to talk about the innumerable things we always can talk about.And I loved every moment.Truly a most unforgettable trip.

I returned to Pune, and immediately got busy with my life here,again full of all my favourite activities,and made joyful by my dear friends.In May,I left for Singapore, to enjoy my time with my dear friend,and favourite companion,my 12 yr.old grand daughter,Tia Rani,who is the personification of all that is wonderful in life.Children have a way of embellishing life with their pure,and unsullied charm,and it is their purity of thoughts,and their innocence,that makes every moment so precious.We talked,shopped,walked,ate endlessly,and loved every moment.But the highlight of my trip, in 2010, was my 70th.b'day gift, a trip to the newly opened Universal Studios,and wow!what an absolutely fantastic place.Just what I love too.

I have been visiting S'Pore, for close to 14 yrs. now,and the way their govt.runs the city,is most admirable,an example to the whole world.And their version of the famous Universal Studios,has definitely become the talking point, of the millions of tourists,who throng there,every day.And I can vouch for every word of appreciation,people say.In fact,words cannot describe the grandeur,and the fascinating,awesome, and very beautiful atmosphere, created.Every moment spent there,is a visual treat,and a delight.I loved every moment,and felt like a little child,with its favourite chocolate,or toy.My loving thanks go to my son,Losita,and of course Tia Rani,for this outstanding gift.Thank you guyz.

After a very warm,and wonderful trip to S'Pore, I returned to Pune,but within a few days, left for Chennai,to attend the wedding of Ria,my young friend from my apartment complex,Riverview.I love travelling,meeting friends,and enjoying with them,and once again,it was a very enjoyable trip,from beginning,to end.I enjoyed the wedding,where they took personal care of me,met up with all my dear friends,shopped,looked around,and since we'ev lived there for many years,the whole city is full of very precious memories for me.

After my return to Pune, my friends were gasping at the way I was going on at 70,but no one could stop me.I enjoyed participating in Ganpati,Durga pujo,Divali celebrations,and then came the GREAT day,my b'day.I spent the whole day in Mahabaleshwar,with my friends,just the way I had always wanted.The scenic beauty is unparalled,boating on the crystal clear lake was just so serene,and soothing,and the weather was gorgeous throughtout the day.We went all over the place,stopped for coffee, enjoyed unending adda at lunch,shopped,and just soaked in the joy of the moment.It was a very fulfilling end to a most outstanding year. Thanks are due to innumerable people,who eagerly,happily, came forward to celebrate with me,and make my special year memorable.But above all,I must gratefully thank God,for blessing me, with such a beautiful year,which will be ever fresh in my mind,as long as I live.

TRIP TO CHENNAI/JULY 2010

I have just returned from a wonderful trip to Chennai,where I went to attend the wedding of Ria, a lovely girl,with whom I have developed a beautiful friendship.We have spent lovely times together,when they were living in an apartment downstairs,and that friendship has just grown, with love for each other.Ria is a very warm,caring, loving person,and at her own wedding,constantly took personal care of me,to see that I was comfortable,and well looked after.Not too many people can do that.And I must say, I enjoyed every moment of the wedding.She looked lovely,and her parents looked after every angle to perfection.

Chennai holds a very special place in my life,because we'ev spent 10 beautiful years there.From 1964 to 1974.So at every step, every turn,every nook and corner,memories kept flooding my mind,and it was a beautiful feeling,nostalgic,but happy.Ashis was born in Salem,and at that time,there were no good schools there.So, if we stayed on,he would have to be put into a boarding school in Yercaud,a little hill station nearby.But his father decided he would never do that,and so he started looking for a change in his job, so he could allocate to a big city.And that is how,and why ,we landed in Chennai,Madras,at that time.

And from then on, we had a very happy life there.Ashis started with Presentation Convent,my alma mater,and then went to Don Bosco.Four years later Manna was born,and joined him there,when it was time for his schooling.They were good students, and did well for themselves.And we had a wonderful social life.Lots of friends, lots of activities,picnics,travelling,and enjoyed everything.My husband was very happy in his job,I was happy leading my own life,and things were great.

So my visit to Chennai was very exciting, from the time I landed.Friends welcomed me with so much happiness,that it was truly touching.Invitations kept pouring in,and I was constantly shuttling, between one family,and another,and enjoying the love,and care, from all quarters.I visited many of my favourite places, loaded with happy memories,ate at famous joints like Buhari,which are now more than 50 yrs. old,and was a great favourite with us.Enjoyed authentic Tamilian cuisine,and the pongal,and feather lite iddlis were to die for.The people are simple,and kind,and I received very nice treatment even from taxi drivers.

So, my trip to Chennai has been a lovely experience,very enjoyable, very loving,and fun.And I'm so glad I went.Every moment will be treasured forever,and be fresh in my mind, to be savoured,and enjoyed.Thats what relationships give to life,great joy,and loads of smiles.

LOVE BRINGS PEACE,AND SMILES.

I am writing this, just before leaving for Chennai,where I am going, to attend a wedding,and meet up, with the innumerable friends I have, there.We'ev lived in Chennai from' 64-'74,and this is 2010.But, after a gap of so many years, the kind of love I am getting from all my friends there,is truly overwhelming,and a great eye-opener.They are eagerly,excitedly waiting to welcome me, and lunches/dinners/ get-togethers/outings, have already been organised,"because we love you,and want to enjoy every moment of your visit!"And although I have visited Chennai, a few times, in between, the tremendous pouring of love,and care, is very touching,and,which, I consider, a great gift of God. Love is the greatest,and strongest bond, that keeps relationships alive,fresh,and enjoyable,and nothing in the world, can ever, match up to its power.

Why is it then, that many people are so miserly about giving love, ignorant about its all-encompassing joy,and the fulfilment it brings?Just a warm smile,a phone-call,a few kind words,a hug,or a pat on the back,can change the day for a person,and put a spring in his step.And there are many, who do not know how to receive love,who misunderstand a gesture of love,and give their own connotations to an innocuous act. According to me,such people are unfortunate,sad,and misguided, for even an infant, understands a touch of love.And what a sad way of going through life,by rejecting love, the most valuable,and prized gift, that makes all the difference to living,and the energy behind everything.
I have myself had, many bitter experiences,with such empty people,who misunderstood,or misconstrued my gesture of love,and gave it a completely different picture.But I always look at such incidents as a learning experience,refrain from interacting with such lonely,pathetic people, and continue on my quest to do everything with love,which makes all the difference to life,and living.
My friends in Chennai are waiting to give me a welcome fit for a queen,and my happiness knows no bounds.I am constantly reminded of the famous song,sung by my favourite, Th eBeatle,"I don't care so much for money,for money can't buy me love!"Money is indeed very necessary,but all the money in the world doesn't guarantee health,happiness and peace,the three MOST important requirements, for success,and fulfilment.I thank God all the time,for filling my life with so much love,and for giving me so much joy as an incentive to go on a big trip,just to savour its pleasures.

MEN CAN BE BOYZ,ALWAYZ.

Father's Day has just been celebrated, by everyone,everywhere,at least I hope so,because I believe,that every act of love, must be appreciated,reciprocated,for it to continue growing.We start taking things for granted, or don't feel the need to count our blessings.And thats when relationships start getting stale,and lose their lustre.On Father's Day,I was with Manna in S'Pore,and throughout the day,many very touching incidents,over the years gone by, were continuously flashing before my eyes,and they were all about being loving,and kind.I must go over some of those,just to show,that even after moving on in life,with all its pressures,stresses,and strains, the love,care,compassion,and kindness, is very much existant,and their precious gift to me.

Let me start with Ashis.When he was about four, I was serving dinner to some guests who had come over,when I realised, I needed bread for breakfast the next morning. So I told everyone to continue,while I would run down,and get it.Suddenly,Ashis stopped eating,got down,put on his chappals and said,"You cannot go out alone,at night.I will come with you!"He took my hand,and started going down the stairs.I still get tears, whenever I think of this incident.

Manna was also very caring,kind,and attentive,and always making sure,I was alright.During Durga Puja,whenever he bought something for himself,he would come to me, to ask, if I wanted to share it with him.And once,we were on a trip to Kerala,and in Trivandrum,I suddenly came down with fever, due to the extreme heat.Manna was about two at the time.He came and took another pillow,right next to mine,lay down,and refused to leave me,till I recovered.I have a photograph of this lovely moment,preserved like a treasure.Innumerable such sweet,and touching incidents,filled my life with joy.And today, as I see them as fathers,or in the myriad roles they play,I can still see their love,and kindness,every step of the way,and that is the gift I cherish,and treasure.

I was in Buffalo,US, from Oct. 2009 to Jan.2010,in very extreme weather conditions.Heavy snow,completely home bound,and all movement very restricted.But Ashis would always organise things in such a way,that I could go out, and enjoy doing what I liked.Browsing in my favourite store Michaels,or Target,Kohls,or J.C Penny,take a walk in the Mall,or whatever I enjoyed.This caring makes a very huge difference to life.And when I was leaving,to reduce the tension in the air, he said,"Would you like to go out and choose some more red things for your home?I can take you!"Thanks Ashis, but no red thing can compare with the love,care,thoughtfulness,and kindness shown to me.Thats what I value most.

And while in S'Pore,even after leading an extremely hectic,stressful life,Manna would get up early,every Sat/Sun. to take me to lovely places,which are exquisite in the early mornings,and sit around patiently,while I did the photography,or enjoyed a walk.And he took leave from work,to spend a day, at the newly opened Universal Studios, specially for me,because I love such places.And many little incidents were constantly taking place,a reminder of the special relationship we share,and how much it is valued.

I can go on,and on,and on.But those who travel the journey of life,without losing their values,are on the right track,and when I am with my boys, I feel very blessed,and privileged,and pray to God to give them all the best in the world,so that they can live their lives, happily,peacefully,successfully.Because to me, these men will always be the special boyz in my life,my treasures,my joy,my wealth.Happy Father's Day,dears.Enjoy it. June 2010.